No bake paleo lemon blueberry cheesecake bars make a cool and not-too-sweet treat for summer picnics and potlucks.
I'm fully into summer vibes and the lemon + blueberry combo is everything my tastebuds want! With a creamy lemon filling dotted with handfuls of fresh blueberries, these bars are perfectly rich and shareable.
Tips for no bake desserts
Since these lemon blueberry cheesecake bars are no bake, I figured I'd toss out a few tips for making no bake desserts.
Other than the benefit of not having to turn on the oven at ALL, no bake treats have a few other perks.
How to customize the crust
The crust of no bake treats tends to look super similar across the board. For this recipe, I used a base mix of dates, walnuts, and shredded coconut.
So, want to change it up? Swap out the walnuts for whatever nut you have on hand. Yes, it will change the flavor of the crust just a little bit, but I think you're smart enough to know whether or not you'd like the flavor of a hazelnut crust!
Next up, a few swaps you can make with the filling!
Changing the filling consistency
Prefer a firmer, more classic cheesecake consistency? Use coconut cream in the filling. Coconut cream has less water, so it's already firmer than coconut milk.
You can either buy coconut cream, or put a can of full fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight, then open up and scoop out the "cream" from the can, reserving the coconut water leftover for smoothies or sipping on while you make the bars.
On the other hand, if you prefer an ultra creamy "whipped" filling, use full-fat coconut milk from a can for the filling.
Either way, these bars sport the same zesty flavor, so this part is entirely your choice!
How to make lemon blueberry cheesecake bars
Really, this recipe is pretty simple.
The hardest part is the (simple) pre-planning you have to do.
First, if you're using coconut cream from canned full fat coconut milk, you have to remember to put the can in the fridge the night before.
Second, you've got to soak the cashews for at least 2 hours before draining, rinsing, and drying them (you can dry them by either laying them out on parchment paper while you prep the crust or patting them dry with paper towels).
But after that, the rest of the recipe is super straightforward — and you don't have to cook at all!
Blend up the crust ingredients and press it into your baking pan. Blend the filling ingredients and pour it overtop. Chill for 15 minutes, then plop in the blueberries. Return to the fridge to let it firm up for a couple hours, then dive on in.
Since these lemon blueberry cheesecake bars get their firmness primarily from coconut products, they're best served right from the fridge. If you leave them out for more than 30 minutes on a hot day, they'll lose some of their shape.
So pack 'em in a cooler if you're serving these gems at a backyard barbecue or picnic. But don't worry — they'll get gobbled up quick, so you won't have to shuffle them back to the cooler.
More no bake dessert recipes
- Coconut Fudge Bars
- Strawberry Lemonade Bars
- Dairy Free Ice Cream Floats
- No Bake "Peanut Butter" Bars
- Mocha Avocado Cream Pie
📖 Recipe
Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 25 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
No bake and dairy free, these lemon blueberry cheesecake bars are quite the summer treat! I like to drop the blueberries in at the end for presentation, but you can also blend them with the rest of the filling for something a little different.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- ¾ cup medjool dates, pitted
- ¾ cup walnuts
- ⅔ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
For the filling:
- 2 cups cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours, rinsed, and dried (see notes)
- 1 cup coconut cream
- ¼ cup coconut oil, softened
- ¼ cup raw honey or pure maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
Instructions
- First, prepare the crust. Line an 8x8 cake pan with parchment paper. Add dates, walnuts, coconut, and lemon zest to a food processor and pulse until a malleable mixture forms. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan.
- Next, prepare the filling. Add the cashews, coconut cream, coconut oil, honey, sea salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a high-powered blender. Blend on high until completely smooth. Pour the filling overtop the crust. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Remove from the fridge and drop the blueberries into the filling. Return to the fridge for at least 2 hours to firm up. Slice and serve cold.
Notes
To soak the cashews, add them to a mason jar or similar container and cover completely with water. Soak them for 2 hours, then drain and rinse in a colander. Pat dry with paper towels or spread them out on a baking sheet to try while you prepare the crust.
If desired, you can substitute full-fat coconut milk for coconut cream. The bars will have a creamy, "whipped" texture.
For another spin on this recipe, blend the blueberries with the rest of the filling instead of dropping them in at the end.
Keywords: lemon blueberry cheesecake
Halley says
I made this recipe exactly as the directions state and these are delicious!! The husband was very pleased 🙂
Question - I used unsalted cashews before but if I use salted ones (because we have a huge container), do you think the salt will come off during the soak? Would it be best to just go ahead and get more of the unsalted?
Thank you!!
★★★★★
Chelsea says
Hmmm... I think it's worth trying! But taste the cashew cream before using it for this recipe - if it's too salty, you can use it for a savory veggie tip or cashew "sour cream"!
Karen Salem says
I made this as my birthday dessert. My family and I loved it! Can you give me a calories count on it? I definitely ate more than I thought I should but maybe not?
Chelsea says
Hi Karen! Currently I don't calculate calorie info for recipes. You are more than welcome to plug the recipe into a service like myfitnesspal to find out that info for yourself if you'd like.